Process for the manufacture of a vitamin E intermediate
AssigneeRoche Vitamins Inc.
InventorsWerner Bonrath, Detlef Eisenkraetzer, Valerie Enjolras, Reinhard Karge, Thomas Netscher, Michael Schneider
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Abstract
The present invention is a process for converting trimethylhydroquinone diacetate (TMHQ-DA) into trimethylhydroquinone-1-monoacetate (TMHQ-1-MA) by contacting TMHQ-DA with a lipase to effect an enzymatic monosaponification of the TMHQ-DA. Also provided are methods of making (all-rac)-α-tocopherol and (all-rac)-α-tocopherol acetate.
Claims19
A process for converting trimethylhydroquinone diacetate (TMHQ-DA) into trimethylhydroquinone-1-monoacetate (TMHQ-1-MA) comprising contacting TMHQ-DA with a lipase to effect an enzymatic monosaponification of the TMHQ-DA.
A method of making (all-rac)-α-tocopherol acetate comprising:
- (a) reacting trimethylhydroquinone diacetate (TMHQ-DA) with a lipase to form trimethylhydroquinone-1-monoacetate (TMHQ-1-MA);
- and
- (b) reacting the TMHQ-1-MA with isophytol or an equivalent thereof to form (all-rac)-α-tocopherol acetate.
A method of making (all-rac)-α-tocopherol comprising:
- (a) reacting trimethylhydroquinone diacetate (TMHQ-DA) with a lipase to form trimethylhydroquinone-1-monoacetate (TMHQ-1-MA);
- (b) reacting the TMHQ-1-MA with isophytol or an equivalent thereof to form (all-rac)-α-tocopherol acetate;
- and
- (c) deacetylating the (all-rac)-α-tocopherol acetate to form (all-rac)-α-tocopherol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.